Last Tuesday, I embarked on a trip to the U.K., France, Netherlands, and Czech Republic.

Sometimes, self-care involves running a full marathon and then going on a three-and-a-half-week Eurotrip two days later. It’s something I’ve wanted to do while I can keep this freelance job. It does, after all, let me work anywhere in the world. Here, I will break this trip down by country in a four-part series.

Instead of planning every detail out like I did in my around-the-world tour last year, I am taking a different approach and being more flexible this time. Why not slow down and take everything in more fully?

Where I Stayed

I started in London and, after being awake for over 24 hours, crashed in the Dictionary Hostel in Shoreditch, a quirky part of the city. It’s a hip, friendly hostel, and it’s chill. I wouldn’t exactly say that it caters to the partying type. Unless you have a private room, you will meet others. As an introverted traveler, this was fine; I wanted to do just that. This hostel has free continental breakfast and Wi-Fi, plus an exchange library, which I always love browsing through. I spent much of my time in the courtyard, working.

London has a lot of beautiful street art. Sometimes it’s worth it to just wander around, because you never know what you might find.

Shoreditch also has a cat cafe, but it’s highly recommended that you make reservations. It’s usually full otherwise. That’s a mistake I learned, but I’ll make sure to visit these cats next time.  They probably meow in British accents. (Kidding about the accents part…maybe.)

There’s Something for Everyone

London also has some of the most beautiful cafes, such as Élan Cafe. I have never seen one like it. Every goth girl has a soft side; we like simple comforts like tea and vegan cake…even pastel colors from time to time.

My favorite art genre is pop surrealism, so a visit to the Dorothy Circus Gallery was worth a visit. This space just opened a few weeks ago, and they’re just about done setting up. They’ve done an excellent job with the space!

The Sweetest Friends in the World

I also had the pleasure of seeing two friends of mine. My friend Sarah and I used to work together at my previous job. We met up for tea in a cafe and caught up. And then Einar and I met in Iceland a couple years back. In Reykjavik, we shared stories and drew in our sketchbooks. As someone with PTSD and social anxiety, it can be hard to make friends. There is this wall that serves as a defense mechanism that I’ve been slowly chipping away for the past four years. But when I travel, much of that melts away; it gets easier. Now I have some of the sweetest friends in the world.

We had planned to do more stuff in London, but unfortunately, I suddenly got so caught up in work despite requesting the week off. I felt bad, since it was his birthday week. But he was so patient and stayed with me while I worked.

When there was time, we wandered around Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Crowds can stress me out sometimes, but after working hard to meet my work goals for the week, a good break was in order. Winter Wonderland is like a German Christmas market mixed in with a carnival. It’s big, and full of flashing lights and laughter. While I usually shy away from crowds, the energy was invigorating.

I’ll Return One Day

London is one of those cities that has something for everyone. It’s so big, that even a month isn’t enough to do everything. With being swamped with work, this is a city that definitely calls for a revisit. This is a city where I fit right in. I cannot wait to go back.